Bonding Like No Other
by Brooks
Summary: What happens when Harry and his father switch places? I can tell you one thing...this certainly will make up for all those year of lost bonding...
1. Prolouge

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other Harry Potter related characters. Everything belongs to the fabulous J.K. Rowling. May she get all the credit! I am not making any money off of this fic...who would be stupid enough to pay me?  
  
**Author's Note:** Hello, all! After a long period of absence I have decided to come back and finish up my stories. I hope you will all enjoy this revised version better. Who knows, when I'm done with this fic I might even tweak it to be better. I'll be updating soon and that's **_A PROMISE_**! I won't forget!

Harry Potter ran to catch the Hogwarts Express. The Dursley's had made him late! If Dudley would have let the family leave at ten o'clock like they had planned he would have been there plenty early, but no he had to watch the marathon of his favorite TV. Show! As a result Harry was now running with the train, his black untidy hair flying behind him. Hermione and Ron stood in the doorway of one of the entrances. They held the door open for him and were encouraging him to run faster. Harry put on a burst of speed and lost his balance. He tripped and fell and went head first into the hard concrete.

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

* * *

James Potter ran to catch the Hogwarts Express. He was late again! He was always late... but never this late! The train had already started moving and could just see his friends leaning out the doorway reaching for him, trying to grab hold of his outstretched hand before the train rounded the corner. James put on a sudden burst of speed and felt his legs turn to jell-o. He had never run this long or fast before. His legs couldn't hold it much longer. Finally they just gave away and James fell head first into the hard concrete.  
  
**Author's Note:** oOo cliffhanger! Err...sort of...Short, short prologue yes I know...next thing is a chapter _so don't you fret_.... _and don't you frown_.... _cuz I hit that branch on my way back down!_.... Sorry it's an old camp song. I like that one, and the canoe one. Hehe _'make out with him_'

--Blushes-- that's what she _should_ do ya know! Anyways, Plz review my story...I really like reviews! So please be sure to leave a message on how you like it so far!  
  
**PLEASE REVIEW!!!**


	2. Introduction Please?

**Disclaimer:** Nope. Don't own'em. I just write about'em.  
  
**Author's Note:** Chapter One edited! Whoosh! Hope you like this version with what I hope are the correct years in them!  
  
Harry groaned as a pain in his head throbbed. He looked around and could tell that his glasses were off because of the slurred vision. Even without glasses he could tell there were four figures standing around him. 'Ron and Hermione are two of them.' he thought. 'But who can the others be?'  
  
"Ah, he's coming around! Eh, Padfoot why don't you go and get the witch that runs the trolley.... maybe she could help him," said one of the figures. That voice sounded familiar. Harry knew he had heard it before. Why was Sirius with Harry? 'Sirius is dead.... this is just an awful joke,' thought Harry.  
  
"Sirius, what are you doing here?! Sirius, it's good to see you. I thought you were dead..." Harry exclaimed not believing it.  
  
There was a silence. No one seemed to be moving even. "Ya, err, righto then Prongs, I think that blow to the head was a bit much, I'm going to go get the witch with the trolley." A door opened and shut and everyone turned his or her attention back to Harry.  
  
Harry remembered where he had heard that voice before now. It was Lupin.  
  
"Professor Lupin. I hope there's a good reason why you didn't tell me Sirius was back!" Harry almost shouted at the figure that looked like it had sandy blonde hair.  
  
"Professor?!" Harry saw the figure sway back and forth.  
  
"Sorry, I know you hate being called that. It's a hard habit to break though," Harry was silent a moment trying to think of the best way to ask about Sirius. Out of all the ways he could come up with (some were quite colorful, mind you) shouting at him always seemed to come up. So that's exactly what he did. "Why did you lie to me? Sirius has been fine for all this time and you didn't even consider telling me! What were you thinking?" Harry yelled. The figures in the compartment shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"What? James you're acting really weird. I bet that blow to the head was nasty," Remus said feeling Harry's forehead for a temperature.  
  
"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!" Harry roared. This was some weird disgusting joke they were playing wasn't it! It had gone too far. No one should talk about his father.  
  
"J-J-James," he stammered back moving farther away from Harry.  
  
"THAT'S NOT FUNNY MOONY! I THOUGHT YOU OF ALL PEOPLE WOULD KNOW WHEN TO END A JOKE...ESPECIALLY ABOUT MY DAD!"  
  
"Your-your-your d-d-dad?" A figure stammered visibly shaking.  
  
"What do you mean? Hand me my glasses. I want to see who's in on this." Harry said holding out a hand. Someone slipped him his glasses and the world came into sharp focus. In front of him stood three figures: one looked like a younger Remus Lupin, another looked similar to what Harry figured was someone who was related to the Weasley's, she had long red hair, and the most familiar green eyes, the other was someone who looked a lot like Peter Petigrew. Harry's mouth dropped open as he gazed and took it all in.  
  
The compartment door opened and Sirius walked in. No doubt it was Sirius. He had the same long black hair as the real Sirius and had a smile like no other. No other person could do the 'Sirius Smile'.  
  
That's all he remembered before Harry fainted realizing he had gone back in time.

* * *

James snapped open his eyes. Around him he could see two people, both of whom he didn't recognize. One had slightly bushy brown hair that fell down almost to her elbows. Her eyes matched the color of her hair and James could tell that she was worried about something the way her eyes darted all over searching for something. The other person had flaming red hair and his wand out pointing it at James. He had an expression of not worry but confusion.  
  
James tried to sit up but when he did he had a sudden head rush. 'Duh, James! You just fell and hit your head!' he thought. He moaned and lay back down.  
  
"You shouldn't move. You'll hurt yourself more," said the girl.  
  
"Where am I?" James blurted.  
  
"Great.... just great.... he doesn't know where he is. This confirms it, Hermione. No scar, brown eyes, and not a clue where or who he is," said the red-haired one lowering his wand.  
  
"No, I have plenty of scars. There's one on my knee if you really want to see. And what's wrong with brown eyes?" James asked defensively.  
  
"Nothing," said the Hermione girl standing up. The red-haired one grunted.  
  
"And yes, I do know who I am. I'm James Potter!"  
  
The two gasped and sunk into seats the plush blue seats that James could quickly recognize as seats on the Hogwart's Express.  
  
The compartment door slid open and a blonde haired boy came in with two giant bodyguards quickly behind. The blonde looked like he had just stepped in a pile of dung and the body guards looked just as unpleasant.  
  
"Talking about you dead dad, Potter," the blonde, sneered. The bodyguards grunted and smiled stupidly obviously not having a clue what was going on.  
  
"No, so why don't you just leave, Mal...Erm...Draco." Hermione stood up her eyes narrowed dangerously.  
  
"How dare you call me by my first name, you mudblood filth!" He replied his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits daring her to make a move.  
  
"That's it Mal---" Hermione jabbed the red-haired hard in the ribs and nodded her head towards James. "Oh, right, erm, Draco."  
  
"Sticking up for your girlfriend, Weasel?" asked one of the bodyguards, stepping closer to Hermione. James stood up. Pain ran throughout his body but he stepped in front of Hermione. Even though he liked Lily, he wasn't about to let someone get beat up. And as weird as it seemed he felt a need to protect these people. He needed answers and he figured the only way to get it was to gain their respect.  
  
"Aw, Potter wants the mudblood. How cu---" Draco stopped mid-sentence. He realized that Harry was indeed not Harry. No green eyes, no scar... Draco took a few steps back and waved dangerously. After a moment of threatening to fall down he fainted. The bodyguards ran out the compartment and ran down the hall screaming, like lost children. The simple thing that many people would have noticed they failed too and they thought that Harry had somehow put voodoo on Malfoy.  
  
"Thanks for that," Hermione said a tint of red rising on her cheeks. The red-haired boy shot daggers at James. Hermione took out her wand and levitated the blonde boy out into the hall and closed the compartment door.  
  
"No problem, but if you don't mind, could you move aside...I want to go talk to my friends." James said to Hermione who still stood in front of the door.  
  
Hermione coughed. "Friends?" she wheezed.  
  
"Ya. Remus, Peter, Sirius, and Lily." James said dryly.  
  
Hermione coughed even harder. "Oh my God," She said after taking a huge breath.  
  
"Hey, err, James, what year is it?" The red-haired one asked. 'What kind of fool doesn't know what year it is?' thought James.  
  
"1971. Why?"  
  
Hermione coughed once more and fainted. The red-haired one sank into a chair, rather pale and sweaty looking.  
  
"Err...well.... you see.... it's not 1971. It's 1996. You traveled through time, James."  
  
James fainted.   
  
**Author's Note:** Thanks for all the lovely reviews!  
  
Hehe how do you like it so far? Well? Ok then.... since the only way I can find out is for you to review.... **HINT** hopefully people will start coming regularly. I hope you guys like this little bit more of a detailed version better. I do, so I hope you do! :D So then please review... as usual :D  
  
**PLEASE REVIEW!!!**


	3. Merlin's Curse

**Disclaimer:** Why do I even bother? YES, I OWN IT! HAHAHA. Of course I don't.  
  
**Author's Note:** OK, so this chapter is also edited. When I'm done editing I'll post a new chapter :D Hope you like this version better!  
  
Harry opened his eyes for the second time and found himself in the hospital wing. It looked a lot different. The walls didn't have as many pictures on them and somehow in the way it was built it seemed newer. 'Of course it looks different! You went back in time!' Harry thought to himself. He heard a distant noise of feet shuffling; from the sounds of it three pairs of feet. Madam Pomfrey's door opened and Dumbledore, Poppy, and McGonagal came shuffling out.  
  
Dumbledore walked over to Harry and sat himself down in a chair by his bedside. He didn't say anything, but seemed to know that Harry would answer him.  
  
Harry stuttered, "I don't know if I should tell you who I am, sir. It could change something.... somehow," Harry said, trying to be careful of what he was saying, and trying to get his point across at the same time. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily.  
  
"Ah, but I have found something. You can only change time, if you want to change time. With a time turner you change something even if you don't want to. With the way you got here...well you can only change one thing, and nothing else. You have to deeply want to change that one thing. If my theory is correct, you last remember running to catch the Hogwarts Express and tripped. You hit your head and awoke in the presence of four other students. Am I correct in saying so?"  
  
Harry was dumbfounded. Dumbledore had amazed him once more with all the wisdom and knowledge the elderly man actually had. Maybe everyone was correct in saying that age was wisdom. All Harry could do was stare at him opened mouthed, and nod. Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"Ah, well that's what Mr. Potter did too. You see Mr. Potter. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry," He said holding out a hand to Harry.  
  
Harry snapped out of his thoughts. He shook hands with Dumbledore.  
  
"How did you know my name?" Harry asked. Dumbledore just smiled in a knowing way and nodded him to continue, clearly showing that he wasn't going to answer him just yet. "Well, if you're sure that it won't change something...." Dumbledore nodded. "I'm Harry Potter, sir, and I already knew who you are. And the others." He added as an afterthought looking at Poppy and McGonagal.  
  
"Indeed." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his snow, white beard deep in thought. Well, Mr. Potter. Welcome to 1971. I believe that you and your father have switched places," he said happily.  
  
"How could this happen?" Harry asked puzzled.  
  
"This is magic that only Merlin would do, Harry. You see he was a friend of mine. Much like your father, he loved to play tricks on people. He thought it funny to watch them. Anyway, he made a charm at the King's Cross Station you see. Anyone that did something in the past and someone how did something in the future that happened to be at the same spot, and they did the same thing, at the same time, would switch places." Dumbledore said nodding his head.  
  
"You mean that my father is in the year 1996 right now? With my friends and all?" Harry asked. He hoped they hadn't done anything too drastic.  
  
Dumbledore again smiled.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Potter. No worry though. There is a simple way to getting you back. But coincidence enough it will only happen once." He said his smile fading a bit. "In two months. Full moon. October 31."  
  
"And, what do I have to do, to get back?" Harry gulped fearing the worst. In his imagination he imagined slaying dragons and reliving the giant chess scene without Ron or Hermione there to help him.  
  
"Be in the room of requirements. If you require your father and he requires you, two portals will open. You simply walk into the one that opened in front of you, and he does the same, and you go back to your time, and he comes back to his."  
  
"What happens if we aren't both there at the same time?" Harry asked fearing the worst again.  
  
"You will be forever locked in the wrong time."

* * *

James awoke and looked at his new surroundings. 'Ah, the hospital wing.' he thought merrily. He had been there many times before. To Poppy he was now a regular. Over in the bed on his right was the girl named Hermione. On the left a blonde haired boy was laying, sleeping on his bed.  
  
"About time you woke up." Hermione said crawling out of her bed to sit in a chair.  
  
"How long have you been up?" James asked raising his eyebrows at her.  
  
"About an hour. We got here a while ago. I'd say two or three hours ago." She said.  
  
Before either of them could speak again, Poppy rounded the corner and started tending to the blonde haired boy; she didn't seem to notice that two other people were awake.  
  
"Hello, Poppy. Did you have a nice summer?" James asked. She was like a mother to him, although no one could take the place of his real mother, his real mother wasn't there during the school year, therefore Poppy was his 'substitute' mother for the time being. Poppy dropped the vile she was holding and turned to see James, sitting up in his bed. He looked the same as always, the same untidy black hair, with his brown eyes, and that smile. Poppy always admired James' spirit. 'Always happy you are.' she use to tell him, before she gave him a potion that tasted vile.  
  
"Mr. Potter!" She screamed lunching herself at him. She hugged him like it was the last hug she would give him. "Oh, my summer has been wonderful. I'm even more wonderful now, of course, seeing you for the first time in..... oh well let's not talk about that...." she said, tears in her eyes.  
  
"No, no, Poppy. If you want to tell him how long it's been, then by all means do so." James turned to see no other than Albus Dumbledore come waltzing in the room.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, I just don't know...it could change everything...." Madam Pomfrey argued back looking like she wanted to.  
  
"No. That's why I'm here actually. I'm here to tell Mr. Potter everything that he has missed." Dumbledore said winking at James.  
  
"Dumbledore!" Someone burst into the room. McGonagal came running in, her hair not in the usual bun, but flailing behind her. 'She still wears that green robe.' James thought.  
  
"Dumbledore, you can't tell him! I heard Severus saying you were coming up here to tell him! He mustn't know! You know what happens if you mess with time! Really Albus, your the one who encouraged Miss Granger and Mr. Potter to change time, but I really must put my foot down on this one!" She said stomping her foot on the hard floor. The echo rang throughout the room.  
  
"No, I haven't done anything to change time. Who's Granger?" James asked.  
  
"Oh, not you!" She screeched.  
  
"Minerva, Poppy, and Hermione, please listen carefully." Dumbledore said putting up a hand, to silence them all. "It will change nothing."  
  
Hermione squealed, her eyes popping out. Suddenly she looked like a light- bulb clicked on in her head and like Christmas had come early at the same time.  
  
"Oh, Merlin's curse!" She said jumping out of her chair. Dumbledore nodded, smiling.  
  
"Now, James. Welcome to Hogwarts. It is a different Hogwarts as you can see. Welcome to 1996." He said waving his arms around the room, like he was a showgirl showing off a fabulous prize.  
  
"What's Merlin's curse, sir?" James asked. He wanted to say something cleverer than that but he couldn't think of anything.  
  
"Ah, my buddy Merlin made a curse, so that anyone that was at the same place, doing the same thing, at the same time, but in different years, they would switch places. So, now you have switched places with your son." Dumbledore said his smile fading a little.  
  
"How do I get back, sir?" He wanted to ask Dumbledore about his son but quickly dismissed the idea telling himself that now wasn't the time or place to ask such a question.  
  
"That is a little more complicated. You have to be in the room of requirements on October thirty-first, the full moon. Harry, your son, must be there too. You require him, and he requires you, so he will appear, along with a portal, and you simply walk through the portal back to your time."  
  
"And what happens, if he isn't there at the right time and all?" James asked looking at Dumbledore with hopeful eyes.  
  
"Ah, then you two will be forever locked in the wrong time."  
  
**Author's Note:** And done with that! Not a lot changed in this chapter...oh well, it still seems a little more upbeat than the older one...to me at least. Please review!  
  
**PLEASE REVIEW!!!**


	4. Preparing for Class

**Disclaimer:** Unlike other times I have an announcement! I own Gregory Graphicus! He is MINE! Hahahahaha. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling.  
  
**Author's Note:** YaY! When I'm done editing this chapter I can write a new one :D I've been waiting for inspiration to hit and now it has! YaY!

"Lost in the wrong time?" Harry gulped.  
  
"Yes."  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence that Harry took to think things over.  
  
This could be the opportunity he had been waiting for! He could finally meet his mother and his father's friends! Harry supposed that when they switched he would finally get to meet his father too. This was excellent!  
  
But at the same time a little nagging voice called 'conscience' said that he shouldn't get too attacked. It told him that he would have to go home sometime and would dread the day enough without getting attached to something. But the dominating voice in his head told him that this was the opportunity to take his life into his own hands for a change.  
  
The one thing he could change was endless. He could change Peter's betrayal! He could change Snape even maybe! Millions of thoughts zoomed by in his brain of things that he could change for the better. His thoughts were interrupted by Dumbledore though.  
  
"Well, until October there must be some arrangements made." Dumbledore said standing up. "First off, there is no reason for you to not carry out your education, so you will be taking classes as usual. But, as of right now, you are to go by the name Harry....Harry um....well Harry Potter....why not you can be a relative of James. Which isn't a lie," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "The reason James is not here, is because he....you and him are doing a thing for the Daily Prophet! Yes, a story about switching lives. Oh it's perfect....how to get the prophet to agree? Oh I can talk them into it."  
  
Harry sat, listening to Dumbledore explain what he was to do and not to do. According to Dumbledore he could only change the one thing, but Harry however, was still unconvinced.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, what do I tell my Dad's friends, the truth or the thing about the Daily Prophet?" Harry asked while Dumbledore stood to leave the infirmary.  
  
"Tell them whatever you like, Harry. But be careful who you do tell. Only the one or ones that you trust should know the future." And with that he bid Harry good-bye and Harry was left staring at a door.

Harry walked back to the common room. Dumbledore said that the password was 'loyalty'. 'Figures.' thought Harry. He reached the Fat Lady portrait. Although the portraits around her had changed everything else seemed to be the same.  
  
"Password," She asked him, eyeing him curiously.  
  
"Loyalty." he said, and the portrait swung outward revealing a hole in the wall. Harry entered and went over to a chair in the corner of the room. Everyone else was still at the feast, so he had the place to himself....or so he thought.  
  
"Whatcha doing, Padfoot?" asked a voice from the other side of the room. Harry turned to see the three marauders come through the portrait hole.  
  
"Ya, why weren't ya at the feast? It was really delicious." Said Sirius, rubbing his stomach.  
  
"Oh, um...you must be James' friends." Harry said. Outside, Harry's features were calm and smooth, but inside he was screaming at himself to remain calm and not flip out about seeing Sirius alive. As of right now he wanted to play along with the Daily Prophet story, at least until he could truly trust them more...or until Peter wasn't along with them.  
  
"Hey, you're not James!" shouted Peter, jumping back.  
  
"Ya, we noticed that, Wormtail. Thanks we wouldn't have figured it out unless you told us!" Remus said sarcastically.  
  
"I'm Harry Potter, a cousin of James. I guess he didn't tell you about the little experiment we have going on did he?" Wow, Harry was surprising himself on how convincing he was.  
  
"Apparently not," Sirius said sitting down on the couch.  
  
"Well, we switched places for a while. Just until Halloween. He's now at Bauxbatons. That's where I went to school. It's for the Daily Prophet. To see what it would be like to switch places with another." It looked like they believed him. Harry secretly crossed his fingers behind his back hoping that they believed him.  
  
"Oh, right."  
  
"Ya. Well I better be going off to bed then. I'll see you guys around I suppose." Harry stood up and walked somewhat smoothly up to the dormitories. Somewhat smoothly meaning, he tripped over his own feet trying to retreat from the gang. Hopefully they didn't realize that he wanted to get away from them though.  
  
He headed up the stairs and into his bed. He laid down thinking of the day ahead of him.  
----------  
Harry awoke, to Sirius jumping on his bed.  
  
"Mhmhmmmm." Harry moaned into his pillow trying to fall back asleep.  
  
"Get up sleepy head! If you really want to know what James' life is like, this is how it is!" Sirius said jumping higher and harder. Harry removed the pillow and sat up. Remus and Peter were laughing at him from the corner of the room. Harry pulled the covers off and climbed out of bed. He took a quick shower and dressed. He came back into the bedroom, put his things away and left for breakfast. At the entrance hall everyone stopped talking and stared at him. 'It never fails to amaze me how fast news travels here.' Harry thought going over to the Gryffindor table. He sat down next to Remus and grabbed some toast.  
  
"So, then, Harry. How are you related to James?" Sirius asked forgetting about his food, only for a millisecond mind you. Sirius was obsessed with food.  
  
"Oh, um...my Dad is his mom's brother." he said. Hopefully his Grandmother had a brother.  
  
"Really? Weird I always thought that Mrs. Potter had no siblings." Sirius said grabbing some more eggs.  
  
"Oh," Harry said almost sadly. "No she has a brother."  
  
Breakfast proceeded great until Harry ran a hand through his hair, and Remus noticed the lightning bolt shaped scar.  
  
"Whoa. How'd you get that?" He asked dropping his fork with a loud clatter.  
  
"Oh, that....well it's nothing really. Just fell down the stairs when I was little." Harry said looking at his eggs and talking fast.  
  
"No, you couldn't have. A mark like that only comes from a curse." Remus said surveying Harry closely.  
  
"Well...." Harry's eyes jumped from person to person looking for a way to avoid the question.  
  
"Listen, if you don't want to talk about it then we don't have to," he said.  
  
"Ya, I'll tell you guys sometime though," He said.  
  
And then another thing went wrong.  
  
Snape.  
  
He had found that James wouldn't be at school until after Halloween and decided to meet his cousin.  
  
"Hello, there, Potter." He sneered.  
  
"Hello." Harry said, trying not to sound too icy. Snape didn't change much. He still had that awful nose, greasy hair, and horrible smile that made even the strongest of people cringe. Harry was amazed at how little he had actually changed over the course of twenty years.  
  
"I see you've even made friends with the 'Potter groupies'. Well, there's your first mistake. You better watch yourself, Potter. Even though you are his cousin, you are still a Potter." With that he left.  
  
"Don't mind him, he's always like that. We prank him all the time," Peter said smiling. "I guess he doesn't like it," he added thoughtfully.  
  
And the bell rang, making Harry come back to earth. He stood up and headed for his first classes, wondering what life would be like to be his father.

* * *

"Forever?" James repeated, awestruck.  
  
"Yes, but not to worry, Mr. Potter. I suspect that everything will go fine. But until Halloween you must keep up with your classes. You will attend them as usual. But what to do with your name....can't tell people you're James Potter....no, no, imagine the chaos that would create. I suggest we put some charms on you to make you look like Harry. It won't be that much of a transformation, I can tell you that. You look just like him, except the scar and the eyes." Dumbledore said pulling out his wand, saying a few words under his breath, and waving his wand back and forth three times. "Aw, there we go. Just like Harry."  
  
James didn't feel any different. Everything seemed the same.  
  
"Yes, only Harry's friends Hermione and Ron will know about you being who you really are, and the teachers. Oh I bet Severus won't be happy, mind you." Dumbledore said looking a little worried.  
  
"You mean that Snape is teaching here?" James asked in a hurry.  
  
Didn't Dumbledore know that Snape was bad news? He of all people should know that he's a death eater and cannot be trusted.  
  
Surprisingly, Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Potter he is and it's Professor Snape. But right now you needn't worry about that. You should be getting back to Gryffindor Common room. I believe Hermione and Ron will be there to explain everything. Yes, well goodnight James." Dumbledore said shutting the door to the infirmary. They had talked so long about everything that everyone in the infirmary had left.  
  
James almost ran to the portrait hole. When he got there he realized he didn't know the password. 'Oh great. I'll just have to wait here for a Gryffindor to come along.' James said leaning against the wall. And after a while a Gryffindor did come along, but not Ron or Hermione. Neville Longbottom came.  
  
"Hello, Harry!" He said running up to James. James still wasn't use to being called Harry so he simply ignored him. "Harry....hello?!" Neville said waving a hand in front of James' face.  
  
"Oh, hi!" He said hoping that they were friends.  
  
"How are you Harry? How have the muggles been?"  
  
"What? What muggles?" James asked curious.  
  
"What do you mean what muggles? The ones you live with of course!" Neville said eyeing him suspiciously.  
  
"Oh, them.....they're ok." James said deciding to play along. 'The sooner I talk to his friends the better.' he thought.  
  
So they entered the common room. Everyone stopped talking when James came in. They smiled weakly and continued talking quietly eyeing him suspiciously.  
  
"Harry, over here!" Shouted the girl named Hermione waving to him from a deserted corner. James could see Ron sitting down looking pouty and excited at the same time. It was a weird expression to have mixed on his face.  
  
"Well, I'll leave you guys to it then. I bet you have some catching up to do." Neville said heading up to the boys' dormitories.  
  
James walked over to where the red-haired and the brunette were sitting.  
  
"Hi, I'm Ron Weasley," said the red-haired sticking out his hand to James. James shook it. Hermione introduced herself properly too.  
  
"Well....where to begin about Harry." Ron said looking anxious.  
  
"Right," James said. He wanted to know about his son badly. He, as of the moment, had never met him, and was eager to know about him. But his friends were looking sad. Like they didn't want to tell him about his son...  
  
"Well, your name is Harry James Potter. And you hang out with us. Always have. Ever since first year. You have two enemies. Draco Malfoy..."  
  
"Malfoy?! You mean he had a son?!" James asked surprised. 'Yuck! Who did he marry?!' James thought disgusted at the thought.  
  
"What? Oh, ya, he had a son, awful one too. He plays seeker on the Slytherin team. You play seeker on the Gryffindor team. Mighty good too, the youngest seeker in a century to join the house team." Hermione said hoping to make James happier.  
  
"Really? Seeker? Hm..."  
  
"Anyway the other enemy is Professor Snape," Ron said looking like he was going to throw up at the name.  
  
"I can't believe they made him a professor."  
  
"Either can we. He takes points off, and really despises you. Probably because of who you really are, ya know. We hear you two didn't get along to great." Ron said with a smile.  
  
"It's nothing to smile about Ron!" Hermione said doing what James thought was a great impression of Professor McGonagal.  
  
"Right. Nothing to smile about, when he played some serious jokes on him in school. Anything to make Snape angry is something to smile about Hermione."  
  
James laughed. He never really thought about Snape holding a grudge for that long.  
  
"Erm...you actually only have one thing that you really need to worry about. Even worse of an enemy than Malfoy and Snape added together...." Hermione trailed off. This was obviously the subject they hadn't wanted to talk about.  
  
"Who then?" James asked. He was now on the edge of his seat.  
  
"Well, have you heard of Voldemort, yet?" Ron asked not meeting his eyes.  
  
"Ah, don't say that name!" James shouted putting his hands over his ears.  
  
"Great. He knows of him....but he fears the name....what are people going to think around here?! Harry Potter fearing the name of Voldemort! HA!" Ron said pounding the table with his fist.  
  
"You mean, my son isn't afraid of him?" James asked relaxing for a second. 'Who in their right mind wouldn't be afraid of him?'  
  
"Not exactly. You see...Harry kind of defeated him." Hermione said.  
  
James almost fell out of his seat. His son defeated the dark lord!? "What do you mean kind of? He did get rid of him right?"  
  
"Well.....you see....Oh well I'm just going to tell you the whole story and don't interrupt me! Don't be too shocked either.....everyone has to die eventually....and it was destiny...anyway..." Hermione said.  
  
And so started to story of Harry's life.  
  
James did occasionally interrupt and was shocked at all the things that his son had done. Defeat the Dark Lord? No one can live through his attacks once, but Harry had lived through several attacks. Amazing.  
  
After they had reached the part about Sirius dieing, James thought he couldn't take it anymore. Why? Him, his wife, Sirius, and so many others. They all died for a noble cause, but it seemed their deaths went in vain.  
  
Who knew though. Maybe it hadn't.  
  
James, Ron, and Hermione were the last people to leave the Common Room and head for bed. James stayed up later than he thought he would. His head was reeling with everything that Harry had done in his short life. Finally he fell asleep. James awoke to pounding on the door. "Ron! Harry!" A voice screeched through the door. "Get up! You're already late for breakfast!"  
  
At this Ron was instantly awake and pulling on clothes rather haphazardly. He jumped across the room trying to pull his pants up, forgot to comb his hair, and left his bed sheets hanging off the bed lying on the floor waiting for someone to trip over them.  
----------  
James just climbed out of bed, dressed, and was out the door in the same time Ron was. Hermione stood at the door looking at her watch.  
  
"Finally. We only have twenty minutes before classes start!" she said walking down the stairs. "I wonder what new classes we have. Who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is. I hear its Professor Bidanya."  
  
"Is that French?" James asked. Ron rolled his eyes muttering something under his breath.  
  
"No, it's Russian. Anya Bidanya was a Princess that invented many spells useful around the house..." from that point James lost attention.  
  
"Seems like Moony or Lily. Swallowed a text book." James said to Ron so Hermione wouldn't hear, who was now on the subject of S.P.E.W.  
  
"She passes them with flying colors," he whispered back before saying loudly to Hermione, "Oh not spew again!"  
  
"S.P.E.W Ron. How many times do I have to tell you?"  
  
"Lots, now let's go I'm hungry," he said grabbing her arm and dragging her to the Great Hall. James followed laughing.  
  
When they reached the Great Hall, James was amazed at how many people looked familiar to him. Many people must have had kids because almost everyone reminded him of an old schoolmate.  
  
Breakfast went without many problems.  
  
I said many, not any.  
  
Malfoy occurred.  
  
"Potter!" He hissed. He was only standing four feet away from the Gryffindor table but his voice still carried.  
  
"What do you want Malfoy?" Hermione asked turning in her seat to face him.  
  
"I didn't call for you, Mudblood." At this Ron and James jumped up ready for a fight. Malfoy continued obviously satisfied with himself. "I just came to ask Potter why he didn't have a scar or green eyes on the train the other day."  
  
"A spell backfired." Ron lied through gritted teeth.  
  
"Don't be stupid Weasel. A spell wouldn't do that." Malfoy's eyes flashed. "Watch your back, Potter." He turned to leave but stopped. "You two should watch your backs too." he said pointing between Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Ferret." Hermione whispered, taking her aggression out on her eggs, stabbing at them like a mad woman.  
  
"Does he always call you that, Hermione?" James asked fearing the answer.  
  
"Ya, but I don't let it get to me. I'm worth twelve of him." she said smiling slightly.  
  
"Where have I heard that before?" Ron asked.  
  
"Harry said it to Neville after he was in the leg lock curse. Then Neville thought he could take on Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy. Poor guy was knocked out in the hospital wing for a week."  
  
Before James could even marvel at how cool his son was, the bell rang.  
  
Classes were starting soon.  
  
James, Hermione, and Ron left the Great Hall together, Hermione thinking about when to start her homework, Ron thinking about how hungry he was, and James thinking about his first day as his son.  
  
**Author's Note:** Ok So I've edited the four chapters that I have. I'll be putting the next chapter up tomorrow. It is rather late and my parents say that I have to get up before noon tomorrow. :P Can you believe that? Lol j/k It's not too bad really. Oh, well...until tomorrow!  
  
**PLEASE REVIEW!!!**


	5. The First Day

**Disclaimer:** Like usual I only own Professor Graphicus and the plot. :D Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling. Props go to her ;)  
  
**Author's Note:** Sorry for such a long time to update...you can yell at me, I swear! I've just been too lazy to come here and write a chapter. But hey better late than never, right? Anyway, I've got my box of graham crackers and Italian soda handy so here comes a chapter! Dun Na NA!  
  
The first class of the day was Defense against the Dark Arts with Professor Graphicus. Remus had told Harry that he was not to be messed with. Apparently, according to Sirius, Graphicus could sometimes be worse than Snape. Harry gulped not wanting to get on the wrong side of him.  
  
The classroom for Defense against the Dark Arts wasn't much different form the one in Harry's present time. It still had the desks and paintings that his did. The only thing you could tell was different was the sudden sense that you had entered a room that was full of death.  
  
No one talked as they silently took their seats, preparing for the lesson and staring straight ahead. Harry even noticed that Sirius was sitting up straight and looking like he was ready for a lesson. Harry followed suit not wanting to be the one that Professor Graphicus picked on.  
  
After a few moments of silence Professor Graphicus entered the room, his robes billowing behind him like a vampire from a movie. His skin was pale white and his eyes were black almost blending in with the pupil. He almost glided around with his head held high seeming to think that he was higher than the other students. Harry knew right away that he could snap at just one false saying.  
  
"We start today by learning the patronus spell," he said in a voice sounding like a hawk. "Can anyone tell me what a patronus is?"  
  
Harry looked around. No one raised their hands right away, but after a moment Remus shakily raised his hand in the air. Graphicus ignored it and scanned for more eager hands. Harry stuck his hand up. Professor Graphicus' eyes surveyed him closely.  
  
"I don't believe we've met," he said walking over to Harry's desk.  
  
"I'm Harry Potter sir," Harry said bravely. "I've switched places with James for the time being. We're doing an article for the Daily Prophet."  
  
"I didn't ask for a summary of your life!" Students flinched at his tone of voice. "Tell me then, what is a patronus?"  
  
"It's a spell used to send dementors away. The proper incantation is expecto patronum," Harry continued shocking many of the students. The professor only looked highly displeased.  
  
"How do you know this?"  
  
"I learned it in my third year at Bauxbatons," Harry lied.  
  
"Third year, you say? Well then, you must be an expert by now," Professor Graphicus' eyes shone with an emotion that Harry couldn't place. "Why don't you give us a demonstration?"  
  
Harry looked around. Remus looked back at him almost feeling sorry for him. Peter and Sirius looked like they were about to jump out of their seats in excitement. The rest of the class seemed anxious to actually see one too. Only the professor seemed to think that he couldn't do one.  
  
Harry raised his wand and shouted the incantation thinking of his happiest moment making a perfect stag erupt from the end of his wand. It galloped around the room and soon dissolved in a thin silvery mist. Sirius and Peter clapped and the other students followed suit. Remus looked at Harry for a moment not seeing Harry but seeming to be deep in thought.  
  
"Silence!" Professor Graphicus hissed. Immediately the class stopped clapping and sat straight in their seats again looking straight ahead like perfect brainwashed people. "Five points from Gryffindor. No one can do that with their first try."  
  
"But sir, I told you that I learned it---" Harry began to explain.  
  
"Five more, Mr. Potter for talking back to a teacher," he said returning to the front of the class to lecture them on how to produce the patronus.  
  
After a torturous hour more of the class the bell rang and everyone began shuffling out of the classroom. The second they were outside Sirius pounced on Harry.  
  
"Where did you learn that?" he exclaimed his eyes dancing in happiness. "That was so cool! You proved him wrong!"  
  
"Ya! No one's ever done that before!" Peter added looking just as excited. Harry tired to look happy at all of this but the expression on Remus' face made him wonder.  
  
"Remus, what's wrong?" Harry asked. Remus stopped walking and turned to Harry.  
  
"I'm just thinking that's all. I have to go to the library and check something out. I'll catch up with you guys later," he said starting to walk away. Just like Hermione, Harry thought smiling.  
  
Sirius and Peter kept on walking and Harry ran to catch up with them. Before he could catch up to them though someone shouted out to him. Harry turned to see Professor Graphicus standing in the middle of the hallway looking at him like he had never seen him before.  
  
"Harry, I need to talk to you for a minute," he said making sure that none of the other students heard him. Harry looked back to signal to Sirius to keep going without him, but Sirius had already turned a corner totally forgetting about Harry. Harry reluctantly followed his now least favorite professor into a deserted classroom.  
  
"I know about you," he said once they were alone in the classroom. Harry looked at him quizzically.  
  
"What?" he asked in disbelief.  
  
"I know about your little time traveling adventure, I know that you and your father switched places. What I don't know is who defeats the Dark Lord. Tell me now," he hissed taking a step toward Harry. Harry took a step back in fear. He never really liked to be scared but this man was creeping him out. How could he possibly know?  
  
"How do you know?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, I have many ways of knowing these things," he said looking almost happy with himself. "Now tell me, who defeats the Dark Lord?"  
  
Harry wanted to tell him that it was him that defeated him but he reasoned with himself. "I can't possibly tell you that! It would change the future!"  
  
I light-bulb clicked on in Graphicus' head. "We'll wait a while...then we'll see if you can tell me." With out so much as a goodbye he was out the door. Harry stood looking at the door for a moment and walked out trying to clear his thoughts.  
  
Once Harry was in the hallway he could tell that he was late for charms. No one was in the hall and the bell ran above him. He was about to run down to charms when someone grabbed his arm.

* * *

James followed Hermione and Ron to potion class. When they were down in the dungeons Hermione stopped outside the door to put her hair back in a sloppy bun, Ron straightened his tie and tried to fix his hair.  
  
"What are you doing?" James asked while Ron dusted off his shoulders.  
  
"We're getting rid of all imperfectness," Hermione answered tying her shoe. "You might want to tie that," she said looking at James' shoes.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because Snape will take points off of us for anything that we do or have wrong," Ron said while Hermione examined him. After a moment she nodded that he was fine. James tied his shoes and straightened his tie also.  
  
"Ok, we're all set," Ron said opening the door for Hermione and James to go through.  
  
Hermione led the way to a table in the back of the classroom. On the way to their 'usual' seats she pointed out people. "That's Pansy Parkinson," she said pointing to a girl hanging off Malfoy's arm. "She's crazy for Malfoy and follows him everywhere. Big prat if you know what I mean. Oh, and that's Dean Thomas," she continued pointing at a boy across the hall. "We're friends with him. He's going out with Ginny, Ron's little sister. He also does the commentary for the quidittch matches."  
  
James tried to digest this all in, but was having a hard time remembering all the names and things. What if they invented new things that I don't know about? James wondered in horror. What if something horrible happened to their parents and I ask them about it? There are so many things that can go wrong!  
  
Before James could have a nervous breakdown Snape came into the room. He looked around at the students glaring at them and glared particularly at Hermione, Ron, and 'Harry'.  
  
"Today we will be making Vertisium," he said writing the ingredients on the board. "The supplies are in the cabinet. You have one hour to make them," he said sitting down at this desk to glare at everyone.  
  
Ron offered to get the supplies for everyone. Hermione wrote down the notes from the board and James looked around the room after he had finished a quick jot of the notes. "Mr. Potter," Snape asked striding over to their table. "Is there something that bores you in my classroom?"  
  
Hermione looked fearfully up from her notes to look at James. Ron stopped walking back to the table with the supplies to listen without making Snape madder for interrupting his talk with James.  
  
"No, sir, it's just that Ron went to get the supplies and Hermione's taking notes and---"  
  
"Oh, so you have your sidekicks doing all the work, then?" Snape sneered enjoying the shocked look on James' face.  
  
"No, sir!" Hermione said for him. Snape rounded on her instead. "Ron just volunteered to get the supplies for us and Harry already wrote the notes down," she said holding up a piece of paper with notes on it. Snape snatched the paper from Hermione's grasp and read over it.  
  
James silently thanked Hermione for her quick reflexes. "Ten points from Gryffindor for interrupting me, Ms. Granger and for poorly written notes Mr. Potter," Snape said walking back up to his desk as though nothing had happened. Ron hurried over to their table and set the supplies down.  
  
"That's harsh," James whispered to Ron. Ron just nodded.  
  
"He was being easy on us," he said handing James his stuff.  
  
An hour later James was hoping that he added all the ingredients correctly. Snape was correct in saying that he took poor notes. He had resorted to asking Hermione for her notes. After a moment of coaxing her into it, with the help of Ron, she had given in. Hermione reminded James a lot of Lily the way she was dedicated to her studies and didn't like giving away her work.  
  
"Isn't Vertisium poisonous if it's made wrong?" Ron asked fearfully to Hermione. Hermione, whose eyes were wide and seemed to be on the edge of her seat, nodded.  
  
"There's nothing for you to be worried about then, Hermione," Ron said leaning back against his seat. "You'll never have to give me homework answers again after I take a sip of this stuff."  
  
James laughed a little. He covered up his laugh with a cough though so Snape wouldn't know that they had been talking. "It is time for you to test your Vertisiums," Snape said looking happy at the nervous looks of the students. "I will take you one by one into my office and ask questions. Unless, you want to say your deepest darkest secrets to the rest of the class," he added his eyes sparkling in something James couldn't place. Hermione and Ron both gulped on either side of him.  
  
"Abbot, follow me." Hannah reluctantly followed Snape into his office looking like she wanted the floor to swallow her up.  
  
"What kind of questions do you think he'll ask?" Ron asked no one in particular.  
  
James shook his head. "Hopefully nothing bad," he said.  
  
"Hermione, are you feeling all right?" Ron asked looking down at her. James then noted that Hermione looked paler than usual and had a vacant expression on her face.  
  
"Hermione?" James repeated waving a hand in front of her face. She snapped out of her silent state and blushed.  
  
"Sorry, what?" She asked twirling a strand of her hair nervously.  
  
"Are you ok?" Ron repeated. "You only twirl your hair when you're worried about something."  
  
She nodded and dropped her hand to her lap and stared at the floor like it was the most interesting thing in the world.  
  
"Granger," Snape called from the doorway to his office. Hermione grabbed her Vertisium and walked fearfully to the office. Ron didn't say anything while she was gone looking at the door she had just entered. After about five long minutes the door opened and a very red faced Hermione came back out and took her seat without saying a word.  
  
"What did he ask?" James asked taking the first step. Hermione's eyes watered as she answered.  
  
"He asked me---he asked what---or who---" she stammered. Ron looked confused and James tried to look understanding while she continued. "It started out harmless...like what my name was and all...but then he asked who I liked."  
  
"He asked that?" James exclaimed in utter shock that he would sink that low.  
  
"What did you say 'Mione?" Ron asked urging her to go on. She shook her head.  
  
"That's not important right now. Then he asked who my favorite teacher was...and then my least favorite."  
  
"I can see where this is going," Ron said with a slight smile on his face. Hermione ignored him and continued.  
  
"I told him, that I didn't like him at all. I even said that I hated him more than I hated Umbridge," Ron flinched at the name. "He asked how much I hated him and I said---"  
  
James was smiling just as much as Ron now waiting to see what she thought of him. "I said that he was the scum of the earth. I even went far enough to say that he was the scum under my shoe." Hermione said this and the tears started to fall. Ron patted her on the back laughing slightly.  
  
"And then---" James was surprised at how much she had to say. "He gave me a zero!"  
  
While Ron comforted Hermione James wondered what would happen when he entered the office.  
  
Before James could contemplate more on the subject he heard Snape call out his name and he reluctantly went into the office...  
  
**Author's Note:** I was going to have more on James and go through the entire Vertisium thing but the chapter would have gotten longer than what it already is. Again, I'm sorry for not updating in a long time. And thanks to all of the people who reviewed despite my long time on updating.  
  
**PLEASE REVIEW!!!**


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